Casual talks with myself about my painting process as a visual artist in the studio....
and goings on around our rural place on Johnson Creek.

Friday, February 8, 2008

Waiting for Ugly paint to dry!

Waiting for paint to dry. Not that exciting either, but at least it's acrylic and it won't be long. A long time ago I observed that many of my paintings have to go through the uglies. So, this is what I tell myself when the current layer is just about one of the worst I've seen in some time. I guess I was due since I had a couple in a row come along without a whole lot of bad layers to cover up. They tell you there really isn't a bad color, just not the right juxtaposition of color, value, intensity, etc. Right now looking at some of this it's hard to believe "them".

At least it's painting on canvas and not the laundry room walls today.

I love this post! I had a student who used to go through the worst sort of ugly times with her paintings and she would get so discouraged. I would just tell her to embrace the uglies because it was a sign of growth and exploration and good things would surely be coming along soon--and they always did. I believe all those uglies have their place in our process and I love that you have the courage to mention them and the faith to keep on keepin on!

I was one of those people getting depressed ( and really I don't like it now either) until one day I noticed the pattern of the "uglies'...and as you said, the growth and sometimes the fact that the best comes from that growth. Patience is hard.